As we just celebrated the 4th of July holiday in the US, I wanted to review something that had an American flare to it. I came across the Panacea Green label which has a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. I have never smoked a cigar with this type of wrapper, so I decided to give it a try. The Panacea Green is manufactured by the Flatbed Cigar Company in the Dominican Republic. The filler is a triple ligero, so this one should pack some punch. They ferment their wrapper leaves in Bucks County, PA; the company’s website offers a nice write-up on the cigar tradition of this region. Since I have never smoked a Pennsylvania Broadleaf-wrapped cigar, I did some research on the wrapper. I came across a very nice and detailed description of it at Mike's blog called “Some Guy Named Mike”. The featured cigar is the Panacea Green Label Torpedo.

Appearance : The wrapper is a milk chocolate brown with a reddish tint. There are some veins running the length of the cigar. The cigar is soft to the touch, but it does not exhibit much of an oily sheen.

Construction : There was a soft spot near the top of the band, but I did not think it would be an issue since it was so high up. This torpedo had a good draw; however, it burned unevenly initially. The ash that it produced was tight although flaky in some spots. The cigar also developed a tunnel which caused a flame-out after the ash was tapped.

Flavor : The initial aroma of the wrapper was that of mint with hints of barnyard and earthy notes. The foot had more of roasted coffee and chocolate aromas. The pre-light draw had a definite chocolate taste; the cigar was very spicy and peppery to the tongue.

One gets good flavors like nutmeg, vanilla, and coffee immediately after lighting the stick. The second third of the cigar was more leathery while the vanilla disappeared; a fruity taste seemed to accompany the leather flavor. The last third featured all leather flavor.

The finish was long with notes of leather throughout the smoke.

Value : At about $6.00/stick, I would not consider this a bad price for these cigars. However, you may be disappointed if you are looking for a strong smoke; I found the Green Label to be more of a medium-strength cigar.

Overall Rating : I enjoyed the flavor profile of the Panacea Green Label Torpedo; it complemented the cup of coffee I had as a beverage during the smoke. I did have burn issues with the cigar, so it was not a perfect smoking experience. I would encourage all smokers to try a Pennsylvania Broadleaf-wrapped cigar. Maybe a fun exercise would be to take a one of these and compare it to a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped-cigar (grown in the US). This will make us appreciate wrappers truly “Made in the USA.”

5 Comments on “Panacea Green Torpedo”

If you enjoyed this cigar you should really try the La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte from AJ Fernandez. Like the Panacea it too is wrapped in a Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. It is quickly becoming one of my favorites due to its unique flavor. Try either the Salomon or the Toro format. – Wade

Really top-notch review. Very to the point and gives me all the pertinent information I need. I usually don’t respond but I just wanted to know I have come to enjoy your site more than the others that are out there. I especially enjoyed your Cuban section as I recently took a trip to Spain and used your guide to navigate them. All your recomendations were winners. Keep up the great work. Smoking strong in Hawaii! Jonathan

The Green is a great pairing with acidic white wines, yes white wines, like a Sav Blanc, Pinot Grigio or some steel aged Chards. I am promoting the Panacea brand in the Mid-Atlantic with wine pairings and the mild-medium strong nature of their cigars including this one make it a natural fit.

I also find that this is a good pairing with a hoppy ale. I get a very nice spearmint highlight when I do.